College Player Spotlight: Max Schnur of Columbia University

February 6, 2014 | By Adam Wolfthal
Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

Max Schnur is currently in his junior year at Columbia University and a third year player for the Lions men's tennis team. New York Tennis Magazine caught up with Max following his championship victory at the 2013 National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

He was first exposed to the sport of tennis at a the early age of four as his mother took lessons regularly and he would stand in the backcourt and hit balls around. It was these experiences and the passion he began to develop for the sport that translated into Max's unabashed love for tennis. Max entered his first competitive tournament at the age of nine.

Max's father was a soccer player who came up with a great drill which helped his son develop a great passing shot. His dad was a soccer goalie, so he would stand at the net with a racquet and dare Max to try and hit the ball by him as hard as he could, while he tried to get a racquet on the ball. He once hit his dad right in the stomach. It was the last time they practiced that particular drill, but to this day, Max feels no intimidation standing in the backcourt blasting shots at approaching players on the other side of the net.

“Sometimes, its good to know that when an opponent is approaching the net, the best place to hit the ball is right at him,” said Max. “You may hit them, which is not the intention, but either way, you will probably win the point.”

Max claims that his National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship was the highlight of his career up to this point. He was on his high school team (Collegiate School in Richmond, Va.) since seventh grade, and led the team to their first ever league and state championships. Max notes that this was the first time he felt the joy of being victorious as a team and enjoyed the feeling of “team success.”

He was also successful as an individual player, making the finals of Winter Nationals in the Boys 16s. Max enjoyed doubles more than singles because, as he describes, “You had someone who went through the experiences with you and to share victory with.”

Schnur made his way to Columbia after visiting quite a few schools. What set Columbia apart is the family atmosphere on the team, where he immediately felt a camaraderie from the moment he met the captains. During the offseason, the team puts in tremendous amounts of work, having captains practice which is attended by almost all team members. They focus on improving during their time off so they can stay concentrated on the tasks at hand during the season. A vital part of the culture on the team is to maximize potential and focus on improving at all times.

Columbia Lions Tennis Associate Head Coach Howard Endelman said, “Don't limit your potential, don't set limits for yourself and create a ceiling on how good you can be, that is the worst thing you can do. If you put limitations on yourself and you exceed them in a match, the moment may become to big for you”

Max grew up a fan of Roger Federer, taking a cue from his grandmother, who is a die-hard fan of “The Maestro.” Schnur recently adapted his game to a serve-and-volley style and tries to keep in his mindset like the play of Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter for their great serve and net ability, respectively.

“In the heat of the battle, its tough to be nervous,” said Max. “If you prepare in practice, in the weight room and during your conditioning, you think about your strategy before the match and when you step on court, you just play. The match is won before play begins. It is won in the weeks and months leading up to the match during your preparation.”

According to Max, it is easy to work hard when you are on court with the Columbia Lions because of the inspiration coming from the other courts. Columbia tennis teammate Winston Lin is, as described by Max, “Like a machine on the practice court, impressing his astounding work ethic on everyone around him.”

Having great teammates and imparting a stellar work ethic on one another helped Max and his doubles partner, Ashok Narayana, to their 2013 National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship victory.

“Ashok and I have put so much time in,” said Max. “You either put in the work and maybe you win and maybe you lose, or you don't put in the work and you lose.”

Ever the humble champion, Max insisted that his doubles partner and better half deserves more credit for the win than he did, and that without Ashok it would not have been possible.

After the victory, Coach Endelman said of his champions, “I'm so proud of our guys, they personify what it means to prepare, to be focused and persevere through obstacles and challenges. Our guys deserve the trophy for all the extra work they've put in.”

For Max, it isn't always all about tennis. He frequently beat boxes and enjoys taking advantage of his school’s location and checking out some of the restaurants and comedy clubs around New York City. Schnur's favorite comic is Louis CK, but his true passion remains the sport of tennis. Schnur says that tennis is unique in that it “involves every component of athleticism. Your on the move, coordinating every part of your body and hitting shots from every position. You can never get a substitution, its just you out there, and if you pull it out and win your match it is your win! You deserve the credit. In tennis, unlike some team sports, the outcome is entirely up to you.”

Credit all photos to Adam Wolfthal


Adam Wolfthal
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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